


Heir of Shadows

by Ghostchild31



Category: Lord of the Rings - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Nazgul - Freeform, Sauron/oc - Freeform, lost princess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:49:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 21,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28632036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostchild31/pseuds/Ghostchild31
Summary: The pride of Tellera, that's what they called Cadance. No one knew where she came from, or how she got there, she just was there. As child in a small town of middle earth, not much was expected of Cadance. Yet something is happening. There's a foul scent in the wind, and she began to search for answers to the strange things that were happening. Will Cadance discover who she is in time to protect herself?This is a Lord of the Rings story for all fans, particularly for those fans of the Nazgûl.I do not own the characters from the original story, only the ones I have invented. My intent is to add to the story for the purpose of a new appreciation for Tolkien's great work.
Relationships: Aragorn | Estel/Arwen Undómiel, Sauron | Mairon/Original Female Character(s), Sauron/ oc, Éowyn/Faramir (Son of Denethor II)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for even looking at this story. Like other fanfiction writers, I am going with the classic tenth walker. However, I am bringing a new element to the journey by changing things that have yet to be meddled with. 
> 
> Some of you, who, like me, are publishing on multiple platforms of fanfiction, might possibly recognize this username. Yes, it is the one and only Ghostchild31. Oh, who am I kidding? Only a few people read my stories, but hey, it takes time and effort... and posting on multiple websites. I am excited to be presenting the new and improved version of Heir of Shadows, although the adventure version might be published if requested. The main difference is that this version is more updated and better written, but it moves slower. The first version is filled with non-stop action, which sounds like a good thing but gets repetitive sometimes. 
> 
> Anyway, if anyone is still here, thank you and enjoy!

"Cadance, where are you?" Cadance woke with a start, panting. Another bad dream. She slid out of bed and brushed her long silver hair, staring at her reflection. Sighing, Cadance let her breath go slowly. Bad dreams had haunted her sleep for weeks, and they have gotten no better.

Cadance put on her clothes for riding and headed out of her room. Immediately, the sun shone directly at her face, illuminating the soft brown eyes veiled under thick silver hair. She walked to her horse's stall and entered. "Good morning, my friend." Cadance whispered.

"Are you talking to your horse again?" A voice scoffed from behind her. "I keep telling Makary that you're a witch, but he doesn't listen."

"I'm not a witch." Cadance retorted.

"Oh really, than what are you? Seriously, what are you?!" Taunted the boy.

"Leave me alone." Cadance half whispered. To her surprise, the boy walked away, but not before shouting, "You haven't heard the last of me, freak!"

She sighed again. He's right. What am I? I'm not the same as the other children of Tellara.

There is no doubt why they call Cadance the pride of Tellara. She was superior to the other children in physical and mental abilities, although she was a bit clumsy. Besides from besting all in combat and being dazzling clever, Cadance was the most beautiful child ever seen in this part of middle earth. Even though she was merely fifteen, Cadance is favorited by the adults, including the leader of the peaceful village, Makary. Instead of schooling Cadance, he gave he responsibilities over the stable in which she stayed. The travelers coming through the village believed Cadance to be absolutely perfect, but she had a certain disregard for rules that positively infuriated Makary. She was talented, but would be better off working more diligently. Among the sewing portion of the girls in Tellera, Cadance had been given the nickname of 'pin master', due to the immeasurable amount of pins she used.

Unfortunately, Cadance wasn't the most popular with her piers. They often teased her about her clumsiness when under pressure and her ability to stub her toes on anything within a two-foot radius. Her silver hair and her talent at most material activities earned her the title of 'witch' and 'freak', compliments of her most zealous adversaries. Cadance cared little for her appearance, it only made people assume she was vain and self righteous.

She was most grateful for Makary, he didn't listen to the rumors that ran around the village, saying she had supernatural abilities. He judged her from what he could see for himself, and treated Cadance fairly for her good attitude and talent. However, on several occasions, he had jested that, if she procrastinated for three hours again, he would go through the roof.

Today, she would be introducing the new boy into a home at the barn. Like all the children lodging in the stable, the new boy, Sarsquoe, was an orphan. Like all the others, including Cadance, he had been welcomed and given a place to stay.

Cadance walked down the long hall after exiting her room. The rooms themselves were merely horse stalls transformed into neat little bedrooms. Cadance especially enjoyed the sliding doors latched by hinges, the only down side was that one could be locked in from the outside.

As Cadance approached Sarsquoe, she noticed a look of boredom on his face. He hardly seems interested in anything, till he set eyes on Cadance. She was used to being looked at that intent way, her appearance was startling, yet something in this stare brought an uneasy feeling to her stomach. The gaze was more observant, like the boy was trying to discover a hidden secret about her.

"Good morning Sarsquoe, my name is Cadance and I will be showing you around." She said brightly, trying to put at ease the feeling of uncertainty in her stomach.

Throughout the entirety of the tour, Sarsquoe seemed more interested in watching Cadance that looking at anything he was shown. His lack of interest in the horses confused the girl, but she tried to reason that not all humans were 'crazy horse people'. At the end of the trip, Sarsquoe abruptly began to run, accidentally kicking off his boot as he shouted a thank you back at Cadance. She shrugged it off and picked up the boot with amusement and confusion at his behavior. I'll give it back to him later, she thought.

After searching almost the entire stable, Cadance spotted Sarsquoe in a field with a hawk perched on his arm. The boy was attaching something to the bird, then he released it into the sky. "You dropped this." Cadance said smiling, coming up behind the startled boy. He snatched the boot from her hand and ran off, like a little child caught doing something wrong. Cadance cocked her head as she watched Sarsquoe's dark figure disappear around the corner of the barn. I'll never understand boys.

Mordor, four weeks earlier...

Sarsquoe paced in his chambers. He couldn't believe it. The Witch King of Angmar had a job for him. Any moment he would be summoned to hear his task. A knock at the door startled the sixteen year old boy, and he rushed to open it. An ugly, grayskinned ork nodded his head and uttered three words, "It is time."

Sarsquoe's heart beat faster and faster as he was led to the great hall of Minas Morgul. There, the Witch King waited for him, his back turned. "Greetings Sarsqoe." He said dryly. "Are you ready to fulfill your purpose." Turning as he said this, the leader of the Nazgûl strode towards the boy, towering over him. Sarsqoe straightened as he replied, "I will not disappoint you. What are Lord Sauron's orders"

"You are to travel to the village of Tallera, directly south of the shire. Somewhere in that town, there is someone he wants, someone who will prove useful once our Master has returned. Send your hawk when you locate your target. You will know that person when you see her." Sarsqoe smirked. His master's instructions would be easy to follow, he had been raised for this moment. "I will set out at once."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A completely random account of an everyday morning, the story gets better, I promise. Please review this, I want to know what you think of it so far.

The first rays of dawn streamed through the bows of the trees flanking the stable of Tellera. Already, the quiet hum of activity was audible around the barn as the denizens began their everyday work. As the sun rose above the horizon, the nightly curfew was lifted and gave way to the buzz of activity, so that the quiet atmosphere of Tellera was dispelled. Although the restriction of outdoor activity was forsaken before dawn, a small band of girls managed to assemble nigh morningly before resining themselves to a day of work. The gathering place was in the glade to the east of the town, directly behind the stable in which they lodged. In a particular clearing, a stream of clear water widened into a brook and wove delicately with the surronding landscape, winding in separate strands and joining at different points as to display both natural and elegant beauty. The sun shone through the delecate canopy of the trees adjacent to the clearing that it was filled with a warm, golden glow in the day, while the mysterious brilliance of the stars illuminated it in the night.

It was in this serene place that six girls, Cadance among them, assembled to discuss and exchange information of the utmost importance and secrecy. Truly, the elders of the peaceful settlement would have defined it as idle gossip, but such crude terms were not to be used in a respectable circle of children.

Cadance herself did not directly partake of the informative activity, but merely observed and assisted to straighten out exaggerated facts or statements, and to deliver news of great importance. Many a morning she sat on the rocks embeded by the bank and trailed her fingers through the crystal water, smiling and laughing as her kinship with her stable family grew both in affection and respect for their mutual attention to details. During one important meeting, they had decided that they were basically family, though indirectly or distantly, and close in mind and decent in agreement of opinion, so henceforth, they would refere to eachother as sisters.

It was currently the eighth week anniversary of that agreement, and the bond formed beween the teenagers had only strenghened. They met this particular morning forty-five minutes before the lofting of the curfew, but this was a normality and a tradition.

Cadance sat in her usual place as the circle debated the previous day's matters, not to say that she wasn't completely innocent of the childish gossip, but Cadance attempted to avoid rumors and such unpredictable forms of retelling information. Gazing around the group of friends, she remembered when they had met and banded together.

To her direct right sat Lillias, a girl slightly shorter than Cadance with wavy, light blonde hair and serene sea-green eyes. To the right of Lillias sat Sanya, her nut brown hair reflecting the light of the sun as her hazel eyes sparkled with the entrancement of the stars. The next who spoke was Aynica (awe-nick-a), who sat opposite Lillias. She faithfully provided news from the talor's shop and delivered it ecstasy.

"Like I told you before, I believe Ruth has taken a liking in that new boy, what was his name, Cadance?"

"Sarsquoe."

"Right. She is exhibiting all the tell-tale signs, and oh, how she blushed when she bumped into him while taking a new work apron over to the smithy. She turned as red as a beet, I tell you!"

Aynica was the best story teller in Tellera, but she was closely rivaled by Cilla. When they collaborated, Cadance could almost see visions of the things they described dance before her eyes. The duo were a strong contrast, Aynica with her wavy bright red hair and shining grey eyes, and Cilla with her curly, strawberry blonde hair and peaceful sky blue eyes.

"I don't see a reason why Ruth shouldn't find some intrest in Sarsquoe. If any girl said she thought he wasn't attractive, there would be something wrong with them."

That time, it was Kaylee who spoke up. Her pin-straight black hair mimicked the graceful movemnets of her body as her brilliant sapphire eyes shone with interest. Lillias added to the conversation.

"Ruth was probably surprised and unsure of how to react to that situation. If anyone likes Sarsqoe, I say that it would be Cadance. She has been constantly checking on him over the last few days since his arrival."

"I do not like him in that way."

Protested Cadance.

"Because he is new, it is my duty to make sure he adjests well to his life here. Since his previous home, I wanted him to feel welcome. Just imagine living next door to Mordor. It must have been terrifying for him, and orks are not scarce in those parts, just living there would be dangerous."

To solidify the validity of her statement, Cadance placed both hands on her hips and nodded her head once. The conversation concerning Sarsqoe would have continued if not for a comment by Cilla.

"We must hurry back, time has escaped from us. It is already sunrise and we will be discovered if we do not immediatly made haste. I hope to see you all tomorrow, farewell."

The girls reluctanly exchanged their parting words and filed out of the clearing, taking care to be quiet and not draw attention as they left. The individually set out from the glade, waiting several minutes so that too many people did not come from the same direction within a small period of time. Cadance was the last to leave, always waiting a little longer. She was about to make her departure when a voice spoke to her from behind.

"So, you girls were talking about me?"

Cadance whirled around to come face to face with Sarsqoe. His mysterious black eyes shone like dark stars, penetrating Cadance with a look as amusement and interest.

"First, it is rude to ease drop. Second, I didn't start that conversation."

"Alright, keep your secrets then. I was going to ask you a different question anyway. Why is your hair silver?"

"What do you mean, it has always been silver. That is a particularly strange question, by the way."

"It makes you look like a princess, maybe that's what I should call you."

"You're being ridiculous, but since I will not be able to change your mind, I will just have to bare it."

"For what it's worth, I was merely curious. See you around, Princess Cadance."

Later...

This letter is addressed to Sarsqoe, loyal sevant of the Witch King of Angmar and the Dark Lord Sauron.

You have done well so far in locating that person in question. I am pleased by your last report explaining the details of her activity. I hope for your sake, that you did not jest about her possessing silver hair, that could be a great factor in the upcoming weeks. You will continue to report to me using your hawk. He is a loyal bird and I will send him back to you with this message once he has adequate time to rest. Write as soon as there are more developments.

Sarsqoe sat on his bed in Tellera. He had repoted the girl, Cadance, to the Witch King as a possible suspect of the one he sought. However, the boy had not expected that silver hair would be such an important detail. He smiled to himself, he had gained the girl's trust and the Witch King's approval. This was his first mission as a spy, and he was going to do anything to make it a success.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dealing with headaches, helpful people, and one annoying person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh. I wrote the entire chapter, it was perfect, but then... The internet connection was destroyed, decimated, obliterated!!! You get the picture, it was gone with the wind. My perfect, lovely, beautiful chapter, went with it. I did my best to recreate those words, but it is not the same, it never is as good the second time. *sighs*  
> Still, it is the best I can do, so enjoy.

"Woah, Nyralym, we are here."

Cadance carefully dismounted from her horse's back and tethered her outside Makary's house before knocking at the door. Today, she had ridden to consult him about reoccurring headaches that had plagued her for the past three day. At first, she dismissed the feelings, but with every time she expirienced one, it brought greater concern to her mind.

Finally, she had traveled to the other side of the village to speak with the leader about this strange matter. Her riding boots could be heard as she ascended the steps to the door of the house. Almost immediately, Makary appeared and invited Cadance inside.

"I've come today to ask your advice about a rather small matter, but it has proven to be a bit of a distraction."

"Then by all means, speak, Cadance."

"For the past three days, I have expirienced constant headaches. Normally, this would not be such a great concern, but every one is stronger than the last and today, I have begun to hear voices."

"This is indeed intriguing, you've never been one of ill-health. I can see your reasoning and I will call for an old friend of mine. He is wise and may think of a solution, but for now, I must ask you not to ride out far, especially when you are alone. I know this will not be easy for you, but I would rather you stay closer to Tellera than go and get yourself don't you go see Cilla, she is quiet talented at healing this sort of ailment and could give you some herbs to soothe your headaches."

Cadance nodded respectfully and bid Makary farewell before setting out to find Cilla. As usual, the girl was out in the glade, collecting a variety of plants for her medicine. She looked up from her inspection of some flowers when Cadance approached on her horse and dismounted.

"Good morning, Cadance, how may I help you"

"Well, I have had reoccuring headaches for that past three days. I have tried to calm them with peppermint and even some butterbur, but it hasn't worked, in fact they have only worsened. Have you any advice?"

"I would have suggested you those things you have said you tried, but Willow may also work. Still, your case is rather unusual. Are you sure that this is resigned to bodily ailment, or could it be bigger than that?"

"You are speaking in riddles again, my friend. What do you mean?"

"I know that, even as an elf, I have not grown up around them, but I have this feeling that your problem goes deeper than what we can see. I mean, is there something magical causing these occurances?"

"That's quiet a big leap, are you sure about these feelings?"

"Cadance, pardon me for speaking to bluntly, but, I sense a powerful dark force at work. I see it in the water, I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air. I feel as if you are in a sort of danger. Not eminent, but more of an uneasy feeling of stirring power."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, it is just a hunch."

"Well, thanks for the tip about the willow, bye."

The girls waved to each other as Cadance cantered back to the stable to help prepare lunch for the children who stayed there.

Time skip to two days later...

Cadance was carrying buckets of water to fill the troughs in the stable for the horses. She smiled to herself, knowing that, even though she wasn't vain, tasks like this kept her humble. There was a well at the center of Tellera, so the water had to be hauled up one bucket at a time. The work was tedious and took a while, but it was rather refreshing on hot days in the summer.

The girls was carrying her thirteen and fourteenth buckets for the day when someone called her name from behind her. She truned around to see Sarsqoe standing a few yards behind her. His black hair was pulled into a small man-bun as it shone in the sunlight.

"May I help you with that, it looks heavy."

Usually, Cadance would have refused the help, saying that she was capable enough to carry water, but her arms and legs were tired, her back hurt, and she was only half way to the stable, so she gladly accepted. The boy smiled as he took both buckets from Cadance and strode beside her as they walked to the barn.

"I see you around a lot, you must be busy."

Said Sarsqoe, turning uis head to glance at Cadance. He was 5' 9", towering over Cadance as she stood at 5' 1". She smiled as she replied.

"I mostly take care of things at the stable, but that requires me to gather materials from all over the town. I know the blacksmith shop is near the center of Tellera, but still, how do you see me so often?"

"The part of the shop I work at is near a window, I have a very good view of the street."

For the rest of the walk to the barn, Cadance and Sarsqoe discussed their responsibilities, favorite activities, and their oppinions on Makary's beard. Finally, they reached the stable and Cadance took back the buckets.

"Thank you, Sarsqoe, I really appriciate your help."

"Your welcome, if you ever need assistance, I'll be happy to help. See you around, Cadance."

Sarsqoe smiled at Cadance before turning and heading back to his workplace. The girl sighed and returned to her previous task of filling the last water trough when someone called to her from the stall door.

"Look who it is."

Cadance froze and turned around as the person who spoke continued.

"If it isn't the Witch of Tellera."

"It's nice to see you too, Dathyn."

"I see you made friends with that weirdo, is he your boyfriend or something?"

"Or something."

"Now that I think about it, he wouldn't be with you, nobody would ever want to be your boyfriend."

Cadance sighed and turned back around, continuing to fill the trough.

"Dathyn, Sarsqoe isn't weird, he is new here and may act a little strange."

"Oh really? Boy, have I got a story for you."

"What is it this time? Is Sarsqoe an ork in disguise, or maybe he's a cursed Maia, or perhaps he is a spy for Sauron himself!"

"Actually, yes, he is a servant of Sauron."

"You don't have any proof, just like the time to told Makary I was a siren who grew legs."

"No, this time I have proof. You know how Sarsqoe sends letters out on his hawk? Well, one time, through my own brilliance, I intercepted the message. It was addressed to the Witch King of Angmar! It was about finding a lost Princess."

"Dathyn, stop lying. There are no lost Princesses in Tellera."

"How would you know, the princess was lost."

"Yeah right. Let me guess who they're looking for. Oh! Is it me!?"

"Stop mocking me, Witch, you should be grateful that I was kind enugh to tell you this."

"No, you're just trying to make yourself feel better by incriminating the new person."

"I wouldn't be able to fake anything that freak did."

"Dathyn, go away or I will call Makary."

"Ha! Always falling back on the adults to get you out of a fight, typical. I suppose you wouldn't make a good Witch afterall, you wouldn't have the guts, power, or intelligence to curse anyone!"

At some point in that last sentence, Dathyn crossed a line he should not have. In the blink of an eye, Cadance spun around, punched him in the stomach, and slapped him across the face. Then, she straightened and coolly walked away to go attend to her next job.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which unexpected things brought drastic change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy! It's.... Another chapter! This is where things start picking up. If you are still here and haven't lost interest yet, thank you for your allegiance.

One saturday morning, Cadance lay under the shadow of a maple tree as she contemplated the past week after Sarsqoes arrival. She was never superstisious, but strange things had started happening since he came to live at the stable. A seed of doubt sprouted in her mind, Sarsqoe was a good person, always helpful and considerate, but in strange ways. For another thing, Cadance realized that she had never seen him help anyone else but her, which was odd. Sarsqoe seemed to be caring, but the more Cadance thought about it, the more she discovered that his good intentions were only for her. It was at this time when she was reminded of Dathyn's story about the letter. Was Sarsqoe really a spy? Of course not, she was being ridiculous. But still, she couldn't be sure without evidence on either side. Cadance did have to admit that, even if Dathyn presented her with a letter to back her up, she most likely wouldn't believe him. But then, it was normal for Cadance to see Sarsqoe sending off his hawk, and afterword he always seemed secretive, maybe he was hiding something.

This was too much for Cadance to think about at the current time, she had to finish with her responsibilities.

After completing her daily jobs, Cadance took Nyralym out for a canter in the woods. The forest was a quiet place, and Cadance always felt peaceful in it, yet there is something amiss. She heard a noise, almost like a voice. Cadance turned trying to find the source, but she and her horse were alone. As the sound continued, Cadance continued turning Nyralym, straining her eyes to find the cause of the disturbance, but there was nothing. The voice grew louder, crying, "Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!"

The harder Cadance attemtped to discern the direction and source of the voice, the louder and greater in volume it grew. After a minute, the cries became unbearable, causing Cadance to clasp the sides of her head, covering her ears, but the sound penetrated her skull. She shook her head in the hope that the tumult inside her would quiet. Frantically, she set off at a gallop, tearing deeper into the woods. The sound didn't stop, but continued to increase in volume. Finally, Cadance completely lost control of herself and tumbled of Nyralym, sprawling on the hard ground. The hard contact against the forest floor jarred the girl and she lay stunned for a minute. The voice had stopped chanting, much to Cadance's relief, but what it says next paralyzed her. "You cannot hide from me, running will not save you, it is only a matter of time, Princess."

Cadance shook her head, unable to comprehend what happened. He Dathyn been right? Was there a lost princess in Tellera? Was she a lost princess?

She sank to her knees, clutching her head as a throbbing headache dulled her senses. Nyralym sensed her discomfort and trotted over to the fallen child, lowering her neck and allowing Cadance to grip her mane and rise onto shaking legs.

The trek back to Tellera was arduous, and Cadance often stumbled, unsteady on her feet. Weakly, she leaned on her loyal horse, barely able to stand. She regretted straying so far away from her home, and doing it against Makary's instruction. If she had listened to him, she could have gotten help, but instead she ran ruther into isolation when her situation got worse. It made her think about the choices she normally made.

Even though she spent time with the other girls in the morning, she would rather be by herself at most other times, in fact, if Makary didn't come to remaind her about eating dinner at the dining hall next to the barn, she probably wouldn't see anyone else that day or eat. Ah yes, eating was yet another thing the leader of the village hounded her about. It was a nessesity yet she often neglected it, preferring to focus on other things such as her work, reading, or even singing in rare cases.

As soon as they were in sight of the stable, Makary ran out, a look of panick evident on his bewildered face. The moment he reached the pair, Cadance's strength gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

When Cadance awoke, she could tell in was mid-evening. The last rays of the sun streamed through her window as she lay under the soft covers of her handmade quilt. Cadance was often curious about what happened on a daily basis, and one of the first rules to gathering information was not opening your eyes when you woke. So, she listened carefuly as Makary conversed with an unfamiliar adult. Despite her lack of strength, Cadance could make out what they were saying.

"We have to do something, Makary. From what you've told me about Cadance, she is strong and dependable. Something is terribly wrong, your best rider does not just fall off a horse and come back hours later, barely conscious."

The stranger spoke firmly, concern evident in his voice.

"There is nothing wrong with her. Accidents happen, and we are fortunate that she made it back to us. Gandalf, there is no reason to worry about her. No one suspicious has come around and I know that in any circumstance, Cadance will defend herself."

"In all due respect Makary, I fear that we do not have long if my suspicions are correct. I understand why you try not to worry, but Cadance could be in danger."

Gandalf argued.

"My friend, I cannot fully understand what kind of danger young Cadance is in unless you reveal to me who she really is. I know you want to cover it up, but if she really was... in danger, I would like to know why."

Makary had almost a pleading inflection in his voice, knowing Gandalf was concealing the truth.

"Makary, I cannot tell you just yet, trust me. I suggest that you send Cadance to Rivendell to learn stronger combat skills and better control over what she feels. I sense that, once Cadance wakes, we will know why she fell."

Cadance began to sweat as she felt dust settle on her nose. She did her best to restrain the sneeze, but she failed miserably. Gandalf chuckled at the outburst, and the girl relaxed as she saw he was not angry that she had ease dropped.

"Ah, I believe she is awake now. Cadance, good evening. I am Gandalf the Grey, but I do believe you already know that."

Cadance completely opened her eyes and gazed at the wizard and her face flushed with the embaracement of being caught.

"Since I know what you will ask," she said, "I might as well tell you. I was riding through the forest on Nyralym. I heard strange whispers coming from all directions. The sound grew louder and eventually unbearable. Me and Nyralym plunged further into the woods, hoping to aviod the noise, but the fast we ran, the stronger it became. Finally, I tumbled off and heard the voice speak, it said 'You cannot hide, running will not save you, it is only a matter of time, 'princess'. Then, a horrible headache came over me, weakening my demeanor. I collapsed and made it back here with the help of Nyralym." Cadance concluded.

Gandalf glanced at Makary with a look of deep concern. Finally, he turned to the young girl and spoke, "Cadance, please go and pack a small bag. I will be taking you to Rivendell."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Overhearing important information:  
> AKA ease dropping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, things are really picking up, I hope I don't go too fast...

The two adults left the room and the girl was alone, but she quickly sprang off her bed.

Cadance couldn't beleive it, she was going to see the elves. Not that she hadn't met any before, but an elleth who had been completly separated from, and never grew up around, her own kind didn't exactly count. Her mind buzzed with excitement as she hurried to pack for a trip. She didn't know what to bring because she had never left Tellera before, unless a horseback ride counted, but she was ready to leave. She often craved adventure, but whenever she questioned Makary about leaving for a day or two, he became overly protective. Even though she wanted to leave to go on a journey, Cadance was also nervous, she had lived in Tellera her entire life since she was abandoned in a lonely stall as a baby. She didn't even remember her parents, Makary said he found her when she was only a few days old and that he hadn't seen anyone around.

Cadsnce finished packing a ran outside to see that Gandalf was already waiting for her. Nyralym had been taken out, but the girl needed no equipment to ride her. Gandalf was mounted on a beautiful white horse, also without any tack. (riding equipment such as saddle, bridle, ect.)

"Gandalf." She said, her eyes widening. "This horse is one of the mearas. Wait, not just a Mearas, this is Shadowfax!"

"Yes, dear Cadance, he is."

Gandalf chuckled and motioned for the girl to mount her horse. Just before they left, Makary appeared.

"Cadance, be careful. I don't agree with you leaving, the safest place for you to be is here, but I suppose that you would have to get some adventure eventually. Take care of Nyralym too, she is a loyal horse and will be a good companion."

The girl nodded and smiled at the kind man. She could never be sure, but she could have sworn that she saw tears in his eyes as they left Tellera.

The emptiness of leaving her home was soon replaced by the thrill of adventure. The wind blew Cadance's hair back, out of her face, as she and Gandalf galloped through the countryside.

"Cadance, there are a few things I want to tell you before we arrive."

"What is it?"

"First, you must know that I am a Maia, a wizard. Even though my name is Gandalf, I am known as Mithrandir amound the elves. Second, the Lord of Rivendelle can be strict and does not smile a lot, it is a rare occasion. Do not be put off if he does not look happy, he hides it quite well. At Rivendelle, you will meet his daughter, Arwen. She is a kind elleth and will be in charge of taking care of you."

Cadance nodded and settled back into her own thoughts. There was something else she wanted to ask the wizard about, but she didn't want to trouble him. Even when she left, she glimpsed Sarsqoe watching from the side of the road, but he looked different. His hawk was perched on his arm and he had a piece of parchment in his hand. Cadance couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw the words 'Princess' and 'Rivendelle' written on it. But most if all, she noticed his facial expression. His usually kind smile was twisted into a malicious grin, and Cadance began to quesion whether there was truth in what Dathyn had said. Still, she rode by rather quickly and could have easily mistaken what she saw.

The journey to Rivendelle was uneventful. Gandalf remained silent as Shadowfax and Nyralym cantered side by side. Cadance had expected more of an explanation about why she was leaving, about the sudden headaches, and about the strange voice, but all she recieved was the hasty repliey of, "You need a break from your work."

The journey to Rivendelle took six days and tha confirmed Cadance's suspision that something else was going on, otherwise they would have traveled to the nearby town of Bree or even the Shire. Of course, the wirard previded no helpful explanation for any questions about the circumstance.

At the end of the six day, the vast structure of Rivendelle was finally within sight and the travelers reached it just as the sun sank below the hoizon. They were greeted by Lord Elrond, who showed Cadance to her room where she was introduced to Arwen. The elleth was kind and treated Cadance like a sister. Unfortunatly, Gandalf was not able to stay, but he told the gril that he would return for her in about two weeks.

During her time at Rivendelle, Elrond ordered Cadance to increase her skill in sword play and archery. She very much enjoyed the daily training, but she wondered why, and this only added to her theory that something else was going on and that the adults were withholding information from her. After she practiced her fighting skills, Cadance would spend about two hours with a tutor who taught her elvish cutstoms, dancing, and the elvish language. Cadance had always posessed a love for learning other languages, so she eagerly thrust herself into a deep study of elvish.

After her time with her tutor, Cadance would have the rest of the day off and wuould often spend time with Arwen, walking through the gardens or riding horses. Cadance was even honored with eating with Elrond and Arwen, which helped her social manners, although she did not try to crack any jokes as Elrond's stern expression was never broken.

The Saturday marking the beginning of the second week of her stay, Cadance decided to consult Arwen about the strange occurances that had brought about her visit to Rivendelle.

"Arwen, I want to tell you something. It has been on my mind and I fear that there is something going on that I am not aware of."

"What is it?"

"Well, recently, we had a new boy come and stay at the stable. He was very nice and kind to me, but I noticed he never showed the same helpfullness to anyone else. A few times, I saw him attatching a letter to his hawk who he often sent messages with, but I do not know to whom he was writing. One of the boys who didn't like me, Dathyn, said that he had caught the hawk once and found a letter to the Witch king of Anmar from Sarsqoe about a lost Princess. He said that the lette was talking about me, but we bth know that's absurd. But, strange things keep happeneding. Even since Sarasoe arrived, I've had reoccuring headaches, and once, I heard a voice in my had, speaking in a foreighn lanuage, then it called me princess. And, while I was leaving, I saw the boy holding a piece of parchment with writing on it. I though I could distinguish the two words 'Princess' and 'Rivendelle'. What should I do, Arwen?"

"Thank you for telling me, Cadance. If you don't mind, I'll tell my father, I don't know how to interpret this information, but I know he will."

"You're the best, Arwen, thanks."

Cadance jumped up and hugged the elleth, who was a little taken aback, but relaxed and returned the hug.

The day after Cadance takled with Arwen, Gandalf arrived. Elrond must have summoned him, because it had only been a week. Cadance watched him gallop through the gates and hurry to see the elf, so she guessed that it was an emergency. Whatever she had known was a cause for alarm, and the girl wanted to know what was going on. So naturally, she ease dropped.

"Elrond, this is worse than I thought, thank you for calling me."

The wizard paced the floor around the elf, who remained stationary but with a concerned expression etched in his face.

"Mithrandir, I agree. After hearing about this boy, it seems to make more sense."

"Yes, more sense about how, but less about why."

"Have you any idea?"

"The most logical answer is the one it has always been, for power."

"Are you sure she even possess power like that, the bloodline shouldn't be pure after several ages?"

"Elrond, the evidence is right in front of us, even if she didn't have power like that, he still believes that she does, and that's why she is in danger. Remember from where and who she is decended from, if she has even a fraction of the power that- what was that?!"

Cadance had tried to be seen, and in her effort had lost her balance and stumbled, bumping into the wall. She could hear the wizard's footsteps approaching, so she quickly fled to her room to think over the information.

Who was the 'he'?

What was this 'power' that they were talking about?

Were they talking about her?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there are more voices and lots of hobbits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished this! I hope that the few people who have remained loyal to this story enjoy!

Only slightly later that same day, in which Cadance overheard the grave conversation, Gandalf appeared in her room with the news of the travel to the Shire. As a child growing up in Tellera, Cadance had always wondered about that mysterious place just north of her home. Some of the other girls had told her stories about three-foot people who lived in houses in the ground. After the past few weeks, Cadance wasn't exactly sure what to expect. It only took a few minutes before all her belongings were packed and she had said goodbye to Arwen.

Gandalf stood ready by the gates for Cadance, Nyralym by his side. Shadowfax had departed, so Cadance rode on her horse beside Galdalf who drove a wooden cart attached to a pony. The girl asked so many questions about why they were going to the Shire that Gandalf jested about putting a spell of silence over her until they arrived. The trip was long, but after several days, the wizard told Cadance that the Shire was only a few miles away. He then told her that they would be attending the birthday party of one of his friends whom he had known for many years.

Upon arriving, a short man confronted the Gandalf, standing tall with jis arms crossed in mock annoyance. "You're late."

"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." Gandalf replied coolly and sternly.

The one called Frodo burst into laughter and jumped into the back of the cart, which was currently filled with fireworks that the wizard had taught and recruited Cadance to make in order to keep her occupied.

During the short trip to the hobbit hole, Gandalf introduced Cadance and Frodo, and answered Frodo's insatiable curiosity with simple replies until Frodo departed. The arrival at Bilbo's residence was mildly uneventful. At first, he refused to allow entry to Galdalf and Cadance, but upon discovering that one visitor was his old friend, he welcomed them.

Cadance waited quietly for the two to finish talking about Bilbo's plans to leave, and she eventually left to aid in preparing the festivities. During that time, the girl met some of the hobbits about her age who all pestered her about questions concerning where she was from, her friends, what was going on in her life, and any crushes she might have on boys. Cadance loved spending time with them, but after a while, the interigation became slightly overwhelming, so the girl quietly dissmissed herself, then quickly ran to find a place to hide and relax before continuing to help with the party.

The hobbits where a very kind to Cadance even though she was a newcomer. There were some whispers about her being trouble, since she came with Gandalf, who had been title the 'disturber of the peace'. Bilbo had been kind enough to allow her to lodge in the guest room of his home, where she felt very comfortable in. The old hobbit was quiet and allowed Cadance to do as she pleased, but he did ask for her assistance in shooing away his many relatives who came to pester him. Cadance also became close to his nephew, Frodo Baggins. Frodo was also quiet, be Cadance could see a spark of adventure in his eyes, which, according to Gandalf, made him look like Bilbo when he was younger. Cadance spent most of her free time with him and he showed her the ways of a quiet life in the Shire. In the days that she spent with him, Cadance began to consider Frodo to be like a brother, and she favored his company more than any other's in the serene village.

Besides spending time with the hobbits, Cadance sat in front of Bilbo's house every night with Gandalf. The only Maia was intriguing, telling her stories of the previous ages and of his adventure with Bilbo. Cadance did not by any means support the wizard's habit of smoking his pipe, but she reasoned that it would be rude and have little to no effect on his actions.

The eigth and final day of preparation delivered an unfathomable amount of preparing. Cadance remembered helping out with birthdays and holidays in Tellera, that was difficult with the number of children, but the hobbits were more numerous and ate much more. For the first part of the day, the girl helped with the last stages of the food in order that it may be ready to bake just before the party. Another good half an hour was spent chasing away two mischievous, young hobbits, Pippin and Merry. After a brief lunch, she was back to work setting out decorations.

Cadance reasoned that the seasons in the Shire were decently accurate to their expected temperatures, but this day was quiet hot, despite it being in the fall. The sun was not a helpful factor as the girl helped set up pavilions, tables, and decorations.

After an hour of work, Cadance sat down and rested her back against a tree as she peacefully sat in the shade. Nearby, Gandalf organized his assortment of fireworks and added his 'finishing touch' while simultaneously watching her. Cadance leaned her head against the bark of the tree when she began to hear whispers, the same ones as the time she fell of Nyralym. She tried to shut out the sound, but their volume increased. Cadance desperately tried to block out the noise, her head ached and throbbed from the sound only she could hear. She felt like something was creeping into her mind, and the more she fought it, the greater the pain in her head became. Finally, she stopped trying to expel the unknown force and decided to let it pass while trying to make the best of things. Immediately, throbbing stopped, and Cadance leaned her head back in relief. Her eyes flew open when she heard the same menacing voice, clearly this time, inside her head.

You cannot hide, Princess. Come to me and you shall be treated fairly.

Cadance jumped, bewildered by the voice, and suddenly aware of another's presence in her mind. The moment she tried to expel the presence, the pain in her head came back, slamming into her like a train. The voice continued, and the whispering turned into shouting.

"Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!"

Cadance gave in again, lowering her hands that had been covering her ears. Gandalf's back was turned, and she didn't want to risk sending a false alarm to him, seeing as the pain was now gone and she had sustained no injury. She jolted as the voice in her head spoke soothingly to her, in a calming yet sinister tone.

Very good, Princess. See, stop resisting and you don't get hurt.

Cadance shivered as she tried to steady her breathing, not wanting to listen to the voice, but choosing it over the unrelenting pain. Very good indeed. The voice continued.

Now lie still, that's it.

Cadance followed its orders and lay quietly, her eyes closed. Within a few seconds, she realized what was happening. Get out of my head! Leave me alone! Her thoughts screamed at the presence as it penetrated her thoughts, searching through her feelings and memories as it resumed its deafening chanting.

The pain in her head doubled from the last time. Cadance tried to find her voice and call for Gandalf, but her hurt was too great. She rose unsteadily, leaning against the tree and stumbling as she made her way towards the wizard.

"Gandalf..."

She cried weakly before falling to her knees. The maiar glanced over at the girl, and upon seeing her state, rushed to her side, putting his hand to her forehead. Immediately, Cadance's head gave one last throb, then the pain subsided. She was too weak to do anything but gaze questioningly into his worried eyes.

"Gandalf..."

She whispered again before collapsing into his arms.

Cadance woke two hours later in Bilbo's house. After she passed out, the Maia had carried her to a place where she could be comfortable and waited for her to rouse. Cadance's eyelids fluttered and Gandalf gazed at her intently with a look of concern on his face.

"You're awake."

He observed, and Cadance smiled grimly. Her head was sore, but no longer throbbed as it did before.

"What happened, Cadance?"

The wizard questioned. He peered at her as she replied and told him about the incident and her reasoning for not telling him.

"I was resting agaibst the tree when I heard that voice again. It grew louder as I fought it, but stopped after I gave in. Then it spoke to me gently. Gandalf, what is that voice and why does it keep calling me 'Princess'?"

Gandalf took a deep breathe.

"I think it's time for me to tell you who you are."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn of Cadance's identity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, it is finished. This chapter is shorter, but still very important. Please comment about where you thought Cadance was from and if your suspicion was correct.

"Cadance, you are aware of the legend of the ring of power?"

The girl nodded slowly.

"And you know of the Nazgul, the nine servants of Sauron, once kings of men who were brought into the shadow realm?"

Cadance nodded again as a sinking feeing of dread settled in her stomach.

"You seek to know who's voice calls to you and its meaning in calling you 'Princess'?"

Cadance's heart thudded in her chest as she nodded once more.

"Gandalf," she interrupted, "Do you think I am ready to know the truth? You didn't even tell Makary. I want to know, but I fear that now might be too soon for me to know."

The wizard stopped and looked pityingly at the child.

"I am afraid that, at this point, I will have to tell you, whether you are ready to hear the truth or not. The last few weeks, you have been in terrible danger. I agree with you that you are not ready to hear this, but in order for you to properly react to the circumstances you will find yourself in, I must enlighten you."

Cadance took a deep breath, then said, "So be it, tell me."

As you know, the Witch King of Angmar is Sauron's strongest weapon. He is the leader of the Nazgul and..."

Gandalf's voice trailed off as Cadance shook slightly, guessing at what the wizard was about to say.

"And you... are his last living descend."

Cadance sat straight as an arrow, stock still on the bed. That was not what she was expecting. Her eyes widened in terror as she stared at herself in a new light.

"Cadance, it's all right. You are not evil, far from that actually."

The girl calmed slightly and allowed Gandalf to continue.

"You have a strong mind and would be capable of resisting the dark lord for a time, but he has an advantage over you. Because of the power he held over the Witch King, he has an entry into your mind, seeing as some of his power ran through the king's descendants. Because both noble and powerful blood runs through your veins, he wants you. He wants you to join his forces. He knows what power you hold, even though you do not. He also knows how great a threat you are to the prospect of his return. For these reasons, he has been searching for you, he has found you, and he is now determined to continue to penetrate your mind until you become submissive to him."

Cadance blinked, feeling unable to do anything against the idea of Sauron trying to control her.

"What should I do, Gandalf?" She asked, her voice cracking from terror. "We will have to discuss this mostly after the party, but I will try to answer that quickly. When you feel his presence, come tell me immediately. Try to push him out of your mind and not focus on his voice. That is all I can advise you, we will have to deal with his attacks as they come."

Cadance wasn't too sure about the plan, but got ready for the party. The last thing she wanted to do was be rude and ruin the party for the kind old hobbit who had let her stay at his house, and besides, it wasn't every day a hobbit turns 111.

The party was fantastic. The music was lively, the conversations merry, and Sauron's presence completely absent. Cadnace spied the two local trouble makers, Merry and Pippin, taking fireworks from Gandalf's cart and smiled to herself as they pulled out her favorite of all the ones she made. It was a dragon. All the girl could do was stiffles her laugher as they shoved the object back and forth between each other like a hot potatoe. She couldn't contain her giggles anymore at the looks on their soot-covered faces as they were aprehended.

Bilbo's speech was well presented, but he disappeared during it, which confused everyone. Cadance could feel a strong pull towards him right after he vanished, and she sensed him returning to his house. She followed quietly, attracted by the strong aura of power emanating from the hobbit. However, she did not follow him inside his house, but waited by the door. She could hear Gandalf emerge from inside to speak to Bilbo, and respectfully plugged her ears this time so as not to ease drop. After a few minutes, she heard, "Come in, Cadance. I would like to speak to you and Bilbo."

"Cadance, Bilbo is leaving for Rivendell tonight, so I need you to watch Frodo. I myself will be gone, so I have something for you."

Gandalf handed the girl a small ring with an emerald at the center.

"The roads are much too dangerous for you to travel on right now, so I made this. It has a small amount of magic to help prevent Sauron from attacking you while I am away."

Cadance smiled gratefully, happy to know that she would no longer endure that sort of pain for a while. She slipped the ring on and immediately felt stronger. Shortly after, Bilbo left, purposely dropping a golden ring on the floor.

"Cadance, I suggest you go to bed, you will need all your energy to keep up with Frodo. I am leaving tonight, so this is goodbye for now."

Cadance embraced the kind Maia and quickly fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn of the journey to Bree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, surprise! Things are really starting to pick up, please tell me if I need to take it slower or if something doesn't make sense, I appreciate feedback, and reviews/comments.

The past week had gone by in a blur. Cadance helped Frodo sort through Bilbo's stuff and they found some really strange things. More importantly for the girl, she helped comfort Frodo as he delt with the abrupt departures of Bilbo and Gandalf. He took it quite hard, but she did her best to console the hobbit.

Cadance waited for Gandalf's return with great anticipation. The power in the emerald ring was beginning to fade, and she could feel Sauron trying to reach her. One time, she began to hear the same whispers, but she followed the wizard's advice and they quickly dissipated.

Besides helping Frodo, Cadance also took time to become acquainted with more of the residents of the Shire. Her advances were not met with excitement at first, after all, Gandalf had brought her, but it took hardly any time until she was accepted by the majority of the community. Cadance even let Merry and Pippin teach her a new game. All she had to do was distract Farmer Maggots by letting him chase her around the path on the field. After a certain distance, the path connected back to itself, and Cadance had to run three laps and keep the farmer's attention while while Merry and Pippin collected the 'extra crops' that had 'fallen on the ground'. A couple afternoons, the girl would come back to Bilbo's residence with a bag of freshly grown produce.

Cadance picked up a sort of job by running errands for the different hobbits in the Shire. She used the small amount of money she received everyday to pay Farmer Maggot for another round of the 'game'. Even though she enjoyed playing with Merry and Pippin, Cadance didn't feel like it was a good thing to constantly steal from the hard working famrer, so she gave him a sum of money equivolent of what the two mischievous hobbits had swiped.

On the seventh night, Cadance was sitting on the bed when she heard a commotion in the house. When she came into the front room, she found Frodo and Gandalf standing before the fire.

"Cadance, I'm glad you're safe." Gandalf said. "I might as well tell you, since you will be going with Frodo. I am giving you two with a very important task. This is the one ring. Sauron's ring. It has been intrusted to Frodo who will be traveling to Bree and meeting me there. You must be very careful to keep off the road. You will accompany him, it is too dangerous for you to be here anymore."

"Why?"

"Because, Cadance, there was one other who knew that Bilbo had the ring. I searched everywhere for the creaure Gollum, but it seems the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him, but eventually, they got what they wanted. Two words is all they required. 'Shire'. 'Baggins'."

"But..."

Said Cadance, distraught written all over her face.

"That would lead them... Here!"

"Exactly, that is why you and Frodo must leave immediately."

Just then, there was a rustling sound outside. Gandalf pushed Cadance to stand behind him and he raised his staff. Within the blonk of an eye, Gandlaf had jabbed the bush with his staff and pulled a stunned Samwise Gamgee onto the table.

"CONFOUND IT ALL, SAMWISE GAMGEE! HAVE YOU BEEN EASE DROPPING?"

"I haven't dropped no ease, sir, honest. I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you follow me."

"A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?"

"I heard raised voices."

"What did you hear? SPEAK!"

"Nothing important. That is, I heard a great deal about a ring, a dark lord, something about the end of the world. But, please, Mr. Gandalf sir, don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anything... unnatural"

No, perhaps not, I've thought of a much better use for you. I need not tell you all the details, but uou are to accompany Frodo and Cadance to Bree. If you will, go pack a few provisions to take with you."

The frightened hobbit lept off the table and bolted out the door, but was careful not to slam it. The wizard then turned to the girl who was still standing behind him.

"Cadance, I must appologise, I thought we had a much different visitor. For now, I would like you to try something. There is one more way that will completely confirm what I told you. I just want you to touch the ring."

Cadance nodded and reached out to touch the ring. As soon as her fingers made contact, the emerald in her protective ring shattered, and a searing pain shot through her head. Gandalf grabbed her shoulders and pushed Sauron out of her mind, and a worried expression crossed his face.

"You must move fast."

Before daybreak, the party of three set off. Frodo was in the lead and Sam stayed close behind him while Cadance watched from behind. She thought about how awkward it must be for Frodo to go on a dangerous mission with his gardener.

While crossing though farmer maggot's field, they ran into Merry and Pippin, who were thieving again.

"Cadance!" exclaimed Pippin. "It's so good to see you again. What brings you here?"

"Not much, but we shouldn't stay much longer, Famer Maggot sound really mad."

The group took off through the fields and Cadance watched with amazement as the two trouble-makers were capable of carrying so much food whilt keeping up.

In their attempt to get away, the whole group was knocked off a small ledge and fell into an abundance of mushrooms. Cadance felt a strange presence coming down the rode and heard horse hooves galloping down the path. They were in a road!

"Everyone, off the road, now."

She cried. The hobbits and the girl huddled together in a crevasse in the dirt under the roots of a tree. Not a minute later, a rider in long, black robes stopped above them and began to inspect the ground, inches above their heads. Cadance realized that this was one of the Nazgûl and she hoped that it was not the Witch King. Her thoughts ceased when she heard a strange voice, but it was not Sauron's. Her heart almost stopped when she realized the wraith was speaking quietly to her.

"I know you're there, Princess, I can sense you. Take the ring from the hobbit and come out." It rasped.

Pippin threw the back of mushrooms they had gathered in a bush, and the Nazgul left to discover the origin of the sound.

Cadance and the hobbits hurried onward, increasing cation as they headed to the Buckle Berry Ferry and Bree. The girl tried desparetly to calm down after the close encounter. She didn't know what would happen if she was caught, but she knew it wouldn't be good.

They could almost see the river, when they heard a terrifying screech. There was a Nazgul behind them! The black rider brust into the middle of the clearing they had just been crossing and screeched. The hobbits panicked and dove under the black horse and around, trying to figure out where to go. They accidentally succeeded in confusing the wraith long enough to dash for the feery. Cadance had dived into the underbrush instead of running under the horse, but she got a little tangled and did not have a chance to start running before the Nazgul got its bearings.

Three of the hobbits were on the boat, preparing to push off. Frodo, however, was running for his life, closely pursued by the wraith. He would not be able to make it. Then, Cadance made a decision that could result in her capture. She picked up a stone, and hurled it with surprising accuracy at the Nazgûl, hitting its outstretched hand, which held a sword, and distracting it long enough to allow Frodo to board the craft.

As the outline of the ferry grew fainter with distance, the Nazgul whirled around to face the silver-haired Princess. When he saw her, the wraith screeched with excitement and moved his horse towards the unarmed child. The horse proceeded at a walk, and the Nazgul dismounted and stepped closer to Cadance.

"Princess..." He spoke. "Do not deny the fate that flows in your veins. It is your destiny to join Sauron."

Cadance was frozen in place, breathing heavily. Now that the Nazgul was only a few feet away, she could see how high he towered above her, as her head barely reached his shoulders. Finally, she unrooted her feet from the ground and stepped back as the Wraith continued to advance. Cadance happened to glace behind her and saw another of them coming up from behind her. Terror stricken, she dashed for the safety of the water, barely escaping their grasp as one of them lunged towards her and missed by a few inches. Thankfully, Cadance could swim, but she had a long distance to cover before reaching the shore. She only hoped the hobbits would stay safe.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bree is a miserable place in the rain, especially after a long swim.

Cadance didn't know how long she had been swimming. The already dark sky was increasingly dimmed as storm clouds roiled in the air and unleashed a downpour that prevented the girl from drying off after her long swim. She knew there would be little time for her to rest if she were to escape the black riders, but her arms and legs were tired and she didn't know how long she could carry on. The overal walk to Bree was not long, but to Cadance, it seemed like miles.

Finally, she came to the gate of the town. It appeared to be made of hard wood and there was a rectangle of wood cut out and hinged in place to act as a window for the gate keeper. The girl knocked on the hard wood and listened as the keeper bustled out of his shelter on the other side and peered out at her.

"Ah, another strange visitor! What is your business in Bree, little mistress?"

"My business is my own, but I must inquire if any of your 'strange visitors' would be four hobbits."

"Indeed they would be. I shan't pry, come on in."

The gate creaked open and Cadance walked through it. She was about to begin her search for the Prancing Pony was the gate keeper called to her.

"Seeing as it's still raining and late at night, you might want to wear a traveling cloak or something of the like."

Cadance looked down at herself expecting to see the cloak she was wearing during the beginning of the journey, but it was not there.

"Oh, it seems I don't have one."

"Ah, I see, well... I have one here, why don't you take it. Really."

"Thank you for your kindness, I sincerely appriciate it."

"No problem. You best be off now."

Cadance nodded and, turning, walked down the street. She keeping an eye out for the inn, she wracked her mind for where her cloak might be. The one from the gatekeeper was warm and dry, a great relief, but it was a bit big for her. She had been wearing her cloak right before she jumped into the river. She was wearing it when she threw the rock at the Nazgûl. Cadance shuddered at the memory of how he had almost caught her when the realization dawned on her. The reason she hadn't been caught was because the wraith had grabbed her cloak. Cadance remembered that, from the stories she heard, the Nazgûl were already excellent at tracking and they used their strong sense of smell to help them hunt down victims. It was like a sign pointing them in the direction of their prey.

And now...

they had...

her cloak.

Wonderful.

Cadance pulled the clothe tighter around herself and continued through the street. The cobblestone road was broad and uneven, the water pooling in the many dips and ruts making it all the more unpleasent to walk on. The girl constantly slipped as she walked, due to her fatigue and the slick slone. To a yound traveler like Cadance, the streets of Bree were hopelessly complex. She quickly became lost in the maze of roads, alleys, and identical buildings. She often twisted her ankles in the crevices created by the sloppily made roads. Rats scurried around corners and in the back alley, snatching greedily at any disguarded or spilled food. The streets were mostly deserted, so Cadance proceeded in the eerie silence that befell the sleeping town. The edges of her cloak were wet from trailing on the ground or landing on puddles whenever Cadance tripped. A few times, the cloak got caught under the heel of her boots and the girl fell to the ground, scraping an arm or leg through the fabric of her travel attire. Cadance had lost hope that she could find the inn, so she almost cried in relief when she happened to glance up and see the sign for the prancing pony ahead. Shivering, she entered the warm, well lighted establishment and walked over to the bar tender.

"Excuse me, but would you have happened to see four hobbits come in?"

"Why yes, I did."

"I was suppose to be with them to see Gandalf, did he make it?"

"Now there's the funny thing. They asked about Gandalf the Grey too, but I havn't seen him recently. Mr. Underhill did get a room though."

"Hold on, you said Mr. Underhill? Would you mind giving me a description of the hobbits?"

The bar tender described the four travelers and Cadance recognized them as her friends. She remembered Gandalf telling Frodo not to use his actual name, so he must have come up with Underhill. The man pointed Cadance in the direction of the room, then proceeded to evict several arguing drunkards.

Cadance crept up the long, winding staircase and immediatly saw the door to the room, as the bartender had told her it was the first on the landing. She quietly opened it and saw four beds, two on each side of the room, set up horizontally, pointing into the middle of the room. It appeared that the four hobbits were sleeping, so Cadance sat on the wide windowsill, leaned her head aginst it, and was lulled to sleep by the sound of pounding rain.

The girl woke with a start when she heard a distinctive bang come from the downstairs. Her head snapped up and she looked around the room. The light that had streamed through the cracks inbetween the door and posts was gone, signaling that the tavern was closed. From what Cadance could tell, it was about one o'clock in the morning. She walked over to the beds and decided to check and make sure her companions had not stirred from their sleep. She was very surprised to see that the things she had beleived were hobbits actually were pillows. Cadance thought this very strange that there would be a room full of hobbit decoys. True, they had almost been caught a couple times, but surely there was no reason for this.

Then, Cadance remembered something. On her way to Bree, she had felt the same pull towards the ring that she had felt when Bilbo put it on during his party. She gasped, realizing that Frodo must have put on the ring, and doing that would attrack the Nazgûl. The decoys were there to fool the wraiths, and they bad folled Cadance too. The girl ran to the window and, to her horror, saw four, black steeds with the same saddles and bridles as the other black riders she had seen.

However, she didn't see any riders. Cadance almost breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart almost stopped when she heard heavy footsteps and the creaking of stairs. She ran for the door and, as quietly as possible, exited the room, closed the door, and just made it the doorway of the adjacent room when she caught a glimpse of one of the wraiths. She opened the door to the room she was in and hid with her back to the door post, concealed from the view of the approaching black riders. Four ring wraiths silently filed into the decoy room.

Cadance dared not move from her hiding spot, deeming it too risky to make an escape quite yet. She jumped when she heard the sound of swords piercing through pillows and sheets. Moments later, the angry cries of peturbed Nazgûl filled the corridor and rooms. One by one, the wraiths walked out of the room. The last one was about to begin down the stair when it stooped, and the other followed suit. The Nazgûl, who had originally stopped, turned around and sniffed the air.

The girl panicked as she remembered her cloak. They probably recignized the scent, but somthing must have also caught their attention and alerted them of her presence. Cadance shifted her weight so that she would be able to run if she was discovered. There was a slight pain on her knee when it rubbed against the door post, so looked down and saw the her knee was bleeding from one of the nastier scrapes she had. In the process of moving, she had reopened it, renewing her scent and the smell of blood in the air.

It was a dead giveaway.

The Nazgûl walked back towards the room, closely followed by his brethren. Cadance was about to close the door and find a way to escape when one of the wraiths spoke.

"Princess, I know you're there. Come out from your hiding place in the doorway."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I decided to put in a cliffhanger for no reason. I hope it is intense enough. Please don't hate me for this.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is an escape and a run in with a friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a bit of fun with some of the dialogue, I might have gotten a bit carried away, but it is still pretty cool. Hope you enjoy!

Cadance dared not move from her hiding spot, deeming it too risky to make an escape quite yet. She jumped when she heard the sound of swords piercing through pillows and sheets. Moments later, the angry cries of peturbed Nazgûl filled the corridor and rooms. One by one, the wraiths walked out of the room. The last one was about to begin down the stair when it stooped, and the other followed suit. The Nazgûl, who had originally stopped, turned around and sniffed the air.

The girl panicked as she remembered her cloak. They probably recignized the scent, but somthing must have also caught their attention and alerted them of her presence. Cadance shifted her weight so that she would be able to run if she was discovered. There was a slight pain on her knee when it rubbed against the door post, so looked down and saw the her knee was bleeding from one of the nastier scrapes she had. In the process of moving, she had reopened it, renewing her scent and the smell of blood in the air.

It was a dead giveaway.

The Nazgûl walked back towards the room, closely followed by his brethren. Cadance was about to close the door and find a way to escape when one of the wraiths spoke.

"Princess, I know you're there. Come out from your hiding place in the doorway."

Cadance held her breath, convincing herself that he was only bluffing, but that hope was shattered when another wraith spoke.

"Stop hiding, we can smell you."

The girl figured that she would have to make the best of it, maybe she could buy herself some time by talking to them in order to think of a plan. She took a deep breath and spoke.

"Alright, I'll come out, but only if you back up to the top of the stairwell."

Her request was met with silence, but Cadance could hear them moving away from where she stood. Slowly, she stepped out into the corridor and faced the four Nazgûl.

"What is it that you want from me?"

The wraiths peered at her with interest before one of the replied.

"We are not to tell you our purpose as of now, only that you come with us."

"Were are you going to take me?"

Cadance tried to make her voice sound strong and confident, but she could barely keep out the dread she felt.

"We cannot yet tell you. Come."

"I'm not going with you."

"You have no choice."

The Nazgûl advanced towards Cadance, so she quickly turned on her heel and ran down the hallway. It was very short, but the last door had a vacant sign on it, so she ran in, slammed the door, and locked it. Cadanc knew a locked door was just as accessable as an open one to a ring wraith, so she had to act fast.

There was a large window in this room as well, overlooking the street. Without a second though, the girl opened it and climbed out, easing her self to the ground. As her feet touched down, Cadance heard the wooden door to the room she had just been in splinter. She began to run down the road, hoping she could find some hiding place from the Nazgûl. Rain still poured down from the sky as the girl sped down the street. She often stumbled and fell due to her fast pace on the slick street, but she quickly got back up and continued on. Unfortunatly for Cadance, she had forgotten her cloak in the inn, so the freezing rain easily soaked through her clothes and chilled her to the bone.

Of course, it wasn't long before the Nazgûl mounted their steeds and gave chase. She could hear the hooves of the horses against the stone, but for some reason, the noise it made echoed through the town, confusing Cadance about the location of the wraiths. She could barely tell their location, but she knew enough to realize that they were creating a circle around her and closing in. The black riders were indeed excellent at tracking, and getting their prey to exactly where they wanted them. Through an intensly coordinated chase, Cadance was eventually back into an alley that was a dead end.

The girl could hear the slow clopping of hooves against cobblestone, signaling that the wraith knew she was conered and were taking their precious time to coome around the corner. Cadance desparatly looked around for an escape and spotted a brick wall. Through aging and bad construction, some of the bricks poked out slightly, creating small footholds all the way to the top. Adrenaline coursed through Cadance as she hurried to climb the wal to the roof of the building beofre ghe balck riders reached her and pulled her down. In less the twenty seconds, the girl was on the roof of the house, staring down at the alley in which she had just been trapped. Before the wraiths had a chance to round the bend and see where she had gone, Cadance ran across the rooftops. Most of the were connected, so she had no difficulty making a quick getaway. After going a considerable distance, the girl climbed down into another alley, which was mostly hiden from view, confident that she had thown off her pursers. She nearly jumped out of her skin when someone called to her from behind.

"Cadance?"

It was no Nazgûl, Cadance would have recignized that voice anywhere. It was Aynica, her friend from Tellera. Cadance spun around and embraced her friend.

"Oh, it is you Cadance. Shoot, you were gone so long I thought you up and moved away! What brings you to Bree, last I heard you were in Rivendell."

"It's good to see you to, Aynica. I was suppose to meet someone here."

"In an alley? That's a mighty strange place to meet someone."

"I was suppose to meet them at the prancing poney."

Aynica fixed Cadance with a concerned gaze.

"Ya know this ain't the pranc'in pony, right?"

"Yeah, I know, but-"

"Well, since we're so close to my folks' place, why don't ya come over for a time, or at least till this here storm wears off."

"That would be wonderful, Aynica, thank you."

Cadance was practicly dragged by Aynica to her parents house. They entered in through the back door, and Cadance was surprised to see that the household was still up. Aynica announced their arrival by yelling up the staircase.

"Ma! Pa! I got company with me. Remember me tell'in you 'bout Cadance, well I brought her home for a visit."

Immediately, her parents came downstairs to greet their guest.

"Welcome, Cadance, we're so glad you could visit. I'm Aynica's Ma, but you can call me Cassie."

"And I'm her Pa, but you can just call me Jack. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you."

Both parents vigorously shook Cadance's hand and asked her if she wanted any water.

"No, I'm fine, but thanks for asking."

Apparently 'no' meant 'yes', because Aynica again called up the stairs.

"Charlie, MissCadance says she wants some water, why don't you come on down and get her a glass."

Seconds later, a boy of about seven rocketed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Cadance heard the side door slam and a minute later, Charlie bust in carrying a half-spilt cup of water. His short, scruffy, brown hair matched that of his father's while Aynica's long, bright red locks were identicle to her mother's.

"Thank you, Charlie."

Said Cadance, smiling at the boy. He smiled back and said,

"Miss, Cadance, why don't ya sit down and have upper with us, we just finished mak'in it."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude-"

"Nonsense!"

Butted in Aynica.

"We scarsly have visitors."

Before Cadance could say another word, she was steered into a small dining room where an oval shaped table lay burdened with a warm meal. The family sat down and Aynica patted the seat next to her, requesting Cadance to sit there. The food was dished out in generous portions, but Cadance managed to get away with eating about half of what the rest ate and instead asked some questions and lostened with amusement as the family constantly interrupted eachother to answer.

"Tell me, where are you guys from?"

"Well, we used to live out in more of the country, more towards Rohan."

"We were in a ranch, had the best cattle and horses you ever seen."

"That was 'til a party of orks came and raided it."

"Yea, stole all our animals too."

"Burnt out house to the ground."

"I still don't know why it's called a 'party' of orks, cause it wasn't much fun. You know why, sis?"

"Not that I can think of, Charlie."

Cadance tried to get back to the topic before things got out of hand.

"So, Aynica, how is it that you live in Tellera while your brother stays here?"

"Well, it's a might big story, long short of it is that with Tellera, well, he says the cows down south told 'em that there be a strange thing work'in in the village, cows in the east says ones in the south is cursed, but never tell a lie, so he don't set foot there."

Cadance tried hard to hide the confusion she felt. That explanation didn't help at all, but she didn't want to fluster her friend but asking again. Nearly an hour passed, but the rain had not let up. Cadnace decided to leave so she wouldn't draw any unwanted company to the home. Aynica convinced her to let her come along, so the two set out in the rain. Everything was going alright as they walked until Cadance heard the unmistakable screach of a Nazgûl behind them. She grabbed Aynica's hand and began to run. Her friend caught on to the idea that they were being pursued and started to run too.

The girls dashed around corners and through the streets of the town. They had run for about ten minutes when Aynica pulled Cadance into an alley so they could catch their breath. Cadance was bent over, hands on her knees, trying to steady her racing heart, when she heard a stiffled yelp come from her friend. Looking up, she saw a cloaked figure in the shadows holding her in place in covering her mouth. Aynica's eyes were wide and she struggled in the strangers grip, but it did not good. Cadance stepped forward and glowered at the man.

"What do you want?"

"A little more cation from you. I am a friend of Gandalf, but there is no time to explain here, come inside."

The man gestured towards a door that was concealed in the side of a building.

"Aynica, stop struggling, I think he is an ally."

The girl stilled and the man slowly released her and led the two inside and up a flight of stair to a room on the story. When they entered, Cadance recignized the sleeping forms of the four hobbits she thought she had lost.

"Thank you..."

"Strider."

"Ah, thank you Strider, we are fortunate that you found us."

Aynica nodded in agreement as the man stirred the embers of a fire in the hearth.

"For now, you should get some sleep, we start out in a few hours."

Struder gestured to a small cot set aside. Aynica immediatly pushed Cadance into it and lay down on the floor. She smiled and said,

"I don't mind, you sould rest."

Cadance nodded and closed her eyes. She was exhausted, wet, and cold, but at least she was safe.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cadance has an early morning and Gandalf is distressed about the predictions of Saruman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to all my faithful readers! If you are still present, thank you for your time. Enjoy the chapter.

Cadance was woken early in the morning by a bouncing ball of energy name Aynica. She never ceased to appear energetic, even after a poor night's rest. Cadance was almost launched off the bed as her friend bounded over to wake her up. Strider, who had woken just before Aynica, had already prepared for their departure and was thoroughly peturbed when the latter rufused to return home and insisted that she accompany them. He finally relented, knowing that, despite her stubborn attitude, she had a heart of gold and would not abbandon Cadance.

"Aynica, what are you doing?"

The girl was still half alseep as she sat up and glared at her friend after being so rudely awakened.

"Well, it's almost time to leave and you haven't gotten up yet."

Aynica proceeded to pull Cadance out from under the covers until she pulled herself away and stood up.

"I see ya can be a bit cranky in the mornings."

Taunted Aynica. The former huffed as she straightened out her clothes and brushed her hair.

"I see you're as merry as the day is long."

Before any more comments could be made, Strider entered the room. Before he came, all four hobbits had been sitting quietly by the fire, but when the former entered, Frodo rose and walked over to speak with him. Cadance couldn't hear what they were saying, but from the amount of gestures directed towards her, she was the subject of their conversation. Not long after, Strider motioned for her to join them.

"Cadance, it is almost time for us to leave. We do not have time now, but I would like to hear what happened to you that resulted in your arrival. From what the hobbits told me, I thought you had been captured, as did they, and I am glad we were mistaken."

"Of course. I will be ready to leave momentarily."

The group began their treck into the wilds in the mid-morning. For the first hour, the company remain quiet, reflecting the gravity of their quest, but soon, the chatter of the hobbits could be heard. It was at this point when Aragorn proceeded to question Cadance about her adventure, inquiring about the details to ensure he achieved complete understanding.

"Strider, maybe I shouldn't travel with you, I'm a danger to the quest."

"I understand what you mean, but it is more important for you to remain safe."

"So it is a risk for me to be here?"

"I wouldn't have said anything if you didn't ask, but yes, it is a risk. The fact that the Nazgûl are in possession of your cloak could lead them straight to us.

Cadance didn't reply, casting her gaze to the ground. She had hoped that it would not be so, but it seemed that she was indeed a threat.

"Cadance, do not worry, Frodo is safe as long as I am around, and I will not abandon you."

This grave conversation was interupted by Aynica running up behind Cadance, seizing her wrist, and dragging her away.

"Aynica, what are you doing?"

"I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Why your love interest, of course!"

"What! Who?"

"Sarsquoe, who else?"

"Aynica, if you think that I like him, then you are sadly mistaken."

"Yeah right, that's what they all say."

Now in the back of the procession, Aynica proceeded to explain to Cadance how she was in love with sarsqoe yet didn't realize it.

Meanwhile in Isengard...

Gandalf the grey lay bleeding and exhausted at the top of Isengard's tower. He had been tormented for who kmows how long by the white wizard. Again, he heard the dreaded sound of Saruman's footsteps coming up behind him. Gandalf dared not open his eyes, unwilling to see a new device of torture that might have been prepared for him.

"Have you changed your mind?"

"No, I will neithor join you nor your master. Sauron does not share power, nor will he. I would not even be able to change the fates of those who I know."

"You could soften one fate. You know of whom I speak. You know he wants her."

"Have you not seen that it is not within Sauron's capsity to love?"

"Not because of her, but for her power."

"I cannot change his pursuit of her, whether I joined him or not."

"But you could alter her fate once she is caught. He wants her power, he cares not for her wellbeing. You know what will happen if he drains her power. For a mortal, it would mean death... but you could change that. If you joined him, I'm sure he would find a way to let her live."

"It would be better for Cadance if she did die rather than spend her days in miserable captivity."

"You would wish something so horrible on her, that her power may be stripped from her and her spirit shatter in the process? What a terrible fate for one so innocent and full of life. How old is she, fourteen?"

A single tear slid down the Gandalf's face. He knew this wouldn't be Cadance's fate, Saruman was just using it so turn him over. Still, the thought of someone so young and pure as Cadance being subjected to such a dark form a magic deeply saddened the wizard.

"He would never kill her in that way, this I can sense, and you cannot convince me otherwise."

"You are indeed wise, Gandalf the Grey. But, what if I told you that the fate that is in store for your young friend would be infinitely worse than what I have suggested. Nay, by no means does he want her gone. He has sent out his servants to retrieve more than one treasure. More than one precious thing must be found, and when they are, both will be brought to Mordor, where they belong. You know they will stop at nothing to take the ring, even to kill its bearer. You know they will not hesitate to drag that innocent child to Mordor. You know that Cadance has neither the power nor allies to remain concealed from them, they will find her. Do you think Sauron cares how Cadance comes to his lands? It matters not to him how his servants bring that girl to his fortress, or what they do to deliver her to their master, their loyalty is unimpeachable."

"Her furture will be shrouded by the shadow of those who hunt her, I will be a beacon of hope for her, not a person to whom she turns to for help, only to be betrayed."

"And so you have chosen not to help her by joining my master and swaying his favor, but instead to watch her suffer the fate that you could have changed. Know this, Gandalf the Grey, Sauron has set his gaze apon Cadance, and he will stop at nothing to bring her to where she belongs, at the sides of him and his black captain."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This has got to be one of my favorite chapters to write.

"Look there, that is Amon Sûl, it will be our camp tonight."

Strider led the four hobbits and two girls to a suitable resting place among the ruins of the watchtower. The had walked for days on end, and the company hoped that this night would be undisturbed and restful. Cadance especially had become tired. She had heard Sauron's voice only once during their journey, but it was enough to cause a delay and weaken her for a few days. Cadance yearned for the company of Nyralym, but Gandalf had instructed her to leave her horse in the care of the hobbits of the Shire. That night was the second since his attack upon her mind and she was still recovering from his assult. However, she was not the only one whose sleep was troubled. Frodo had also been expiriencing issues because of the burden he bore. The ring constantly called to him and drained his resolve so slowly that it was torturous.

The company arrived at dark, all around them sounded the symphony of nature and a gentle breeze swept over their camp. After everything was situated, Strider rose and gave each hobbit a small sword, saying,

"I am going to have a look around, let us hope that you find no use for these."

Cadance nodded slowly, so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open but too tired to fall asleep. She didn't understand why Strider wouldn't give her and Aynica a sword too, after all, they had the most expirience. About ten minutes after he left the camp, she rose and began to look for a specific kind of plant that could help her and Frodo sleep. Upon spotting what she sought, glycine, she carfully picked a bit of it and turned so she could go back. Her heart almost stopped when she saw that the hobbits had started a fire. As quickly as she could in her state of exhaustion, she rushed back through the ruins to the camp where Sam, Merry Pippin, and Aynica were crouded around a fire, cooking some food.

"Put it out, you fools, put it out!"

The girl's reprimant woke that slumbering Frodo and the other four watched her with looks of innocense, not realizing what they did wrong. Without a second thought, Cadance rushed over and kicked dirt over the flames to extinguish them.

"Oh that's nice," complained Pippin, "ash on my tomatoes."

"Pippin, we would have much bigger problems than ash on tomatoes, the Nazgûl could see the smoke from your fire." Chided Cadance, scanning the dark tree line for signs of movement.

"Well, nothing happened, so we are safe afterall. We have nothing to worry about, right?"

Before Cadance could answer, the chilling screech of the ring wraiths pierced the air.

"Does that answer your question, Pippin?"

The hobbits and girls raced up the hill to the top in retreat from the approaching Nazgûl. As they rushed onto the final level, Frodo turned to Cadance and said, "You should hide behind one of those pillars. They seem to be looking for you as well as the ring, so you should stay out of sight."

"Frodo, I can't leave you to fight them by yourself."

"You have to, Cadance, they'll catch you if you don't."

"Miss Cadance please hide." Chimed in Sam. "I wouldn't want you getting yourself captured."

Cadance sighed. "Fine, Aynica, please protect them as well as you can."

Her friend smiled and as Cadance stepped behind one of the large stone pillars on the outside of the structure. It wasn't long before she heard the sound of armored feet against hard stone and the hideous scraping of metal as the Nazgûl unsheathed their deadly weapons. Her heart beat wildly as the wriaths drew closer to her friends. The moment when she thought she could stand the tense silence no more, she heard Same charge the attackers.

"Back you devils!"

Cadance's heart almost stopped when she heard the sound of a blade shattering. Sam grunted as he was shoved aside and collided hard against the stone floor. The clatter of two swords falling to the ground followed as Merry and Pippin cowered in fear. Cadance held her breath as she listened to her friend stoop down and pick up the swords that was dropped by the hobbits. She weighed them in her hands and then engaed two of the wraiths, staying on the defense and drawing them away from the last hobbit. Still, three Nazgûl approached Frodo. He staggered back and tripped, sprawling painfully in the stone. In a last hope to evade them, he slipped the ring onto his finger.

Immediatly, Cadance could feel the presence of the hobbit, sensing him similar to how the wraiths did. Said party screeched with excitement and towered in front of the hobbit. Cadance stood as still as possible, for boh she and Frodo were backed up against the same, thick pillar of stone. Even without being able to see, she could tell that the one approaching Frodo was the Witch King of Angmar. The wraith outstretched his hand in a silent demand for the ring. The hobbit fought against the will of the ring, contending against it with all his might, but to no avail. Carefully, he slid it off and put it in the palm of his hand, lifting it up the to enemy.

Cadance could no longer watch the events unfold, she would not sit by as the world fell to pieces. With Aynica still battling the wraiths, she figured she could take on another two which would leave Frodo with only one to worry about if she could convince him to run. Adrenaline coursed through Cadance's veins, driving out the last bit of exhaustion. Not wasting a moment, Cadance spun around to the other side of the pillar and pulled Frodo onto his feet, away from the Witch King. The hobbit immediatly snapped out of his trance and backed away. Aynica smiled and threw one of her swords to her unarmed friend, calling her name to get her attention.

Cadance caught the small weapon and directed Frodo to another, unoccupied section of the tower to keep him away from the Nazgûl. Meanwhile, the Witch King, who recovered from the shock of what had happened, motioned for his other two bretheren to pursue the Frodo while he turned to face his heir. But, before he could make any other move, Cadance swung the short sword in an attempt to catch him off guard. The Nazgûl quickly blocked it amd found himself engaged against the one he was suppose to capture.

From the beginning of the fight, he was surprised to see that she had already mastered the basics of swordplay and learned many advanced moves. She used a combination of attacks and defenses combined from the many styles she learned witha flair of elvish technique and grace. She kept him on his toes, causing him to pay more attention to the fight than he had in a long time. Still, he was not to be outmatched. Slowly, he began to work Cadance into a corner, steadily pushing her back while being careful not to hurt her. He marveled at her skill, but eventully decided that he had seen enough. Moments later, Cadance's sword flew through the air after the wraiths preformed a paricularly advanced disarming counter-strike.

The sword clattered to the ground at the feet of the Witch King. Cadance tried to back up, but felt only cold, hard stone behind her.

She had been cornered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can someone tell me how I'm doing? I feel like it's not very good...


	13. Explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An explanation about am important decision in the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone said they did not understand why Aynica went with Strider, Cadance, and the hobbits instead of staying in Bree. Because I want all of my readers to understand the story and why things happen the way they do, I made this chapter to explain. I know what you're saying
> 
> "But Ghostchild31, don't you think that writing a 1411 word response to a message that included a clause about not understanding one small thing is a bit excessive?"
> 
> Not at all. I want everyone who reads the story to understand it fully. If you ever have any questions, just comment or message me.

First of all, if you are still here, thank you so much, I cannot express my gratitude in words. I want to take a moment to thank those who have reviewed my story, I've been trying my best to write back becasue I will always welcome your oppinion. If there is anything that is unclear or doesn't match with character personalities, I value constructive criticism. On that subject, someone asked me why Aynica is traveling with the hobbits, Strider, and Cadance when it would be safer for her to stay in Bree. Why didn't Strider make her return to her family? Why was Aynica so persistent in coming when she was told to leave?

If you haven't guessed already, this chapter is explaining why Aynica did not stay in Bree.

The first question is: is it safer? Some might say that Aynica should return to her family becasue it would have been safer for her and it would be less of a burden to Strider. Aynica would just be one more person to watch, take care of, and protect. Returning to her home would ensure Aynica's safety, her families' comfort, and Strider's sanity. She would simply go back to living the way she had been and not get tangled up in the mess of risks and perils that befall adventurers. Right?

Wrong. We must remember that, after Cadance's stay at Aynica's house, they were both pursued by the Nazgûl. The ring wraiths will now connect Aynica with Cadance because they fled together. While looking for information for the whereabouts of the ring and Cadance, he Nazgûl would most likely seek out Aynica for the reason that she could be involved and therefore would know where the group was hiding and intending to go. Going back to her house was a bad idea because the wraiths were excellent at tracking, and with nine of them, they would be able to spare at least one to seek out a person who could have vital information. This would lead them to her house and family. When the Nazgûl would discover that Aynica had no useful information, they would most likely be in a bad temporent becasue of the loss of time, and we all know that the nine are not exactly merciful when it comes to being upset. We all know what they did to the room in the Prancing Pony when they discovered the fake hobbits. Aynica should not risk that happening to her family as they would probably all end up dead.

Or, you might say that Aynica could go back to Tellera, she does live there. Let's see... a yound girl traveling on the road by herself after a heavy storm when there are nine Nazgûl in the area who might be looking for her... perhaps that is not the best idea.

Furthermore, Aynica would not be a burden. She had been living in Tellera and attending the various exersices that tested strength, cunning, and determination. (Boy, this would have been helpful information to have) Sword play was commonly practiced and, although we only hear about Cadance's skill, the instruction of fighting was not taken lightly to ensure the safety for those who lived in the town. After all, anything can happen in Middle Earth. Aynica was the third most capable person traveling in the group, after Strider and Cadance. She would be able to defend the hobbits if they got into a bad situation and she would be another pair of eyes to keep a watch on them to prevent them from getting into trouble. She would also be capable of defending herself because of her training.

As for Aynica's family, they would have no reason to worry. They knew she was a capable person and would trust her. Remember, before that time, the lived on a farm near Rohan. After their home was burned to the ground by orks, her parents are still fine with her living away from them in a village. Another thing you can gather from the given information is that Aynica often travels between Tellera and Bree. Cadance isn't even aware that she has family in Bree, much less visits them. Her family also is not surprised when Aynica turns up in time for their dinner. You can see from how easy going Aynica and her entire family are, they do not worry much about strange things. Eating dinner in the middle of the night- absolutely normal. Their daughter comes and goes long distances with out supervision and randomly and frequently visits them- perfectly fine. Their child turns up with one of her friends in the dead of night during a rain storm after finding her wandering the streets- no problem. Aynica's family would not be troubled by her absence.

The second question: Why didn't Strider refuse to let her come along and make her go home? He had more authority over Aynica because he was an adult and a senior.

He could tell Aynica was very persistent. It was mentioned that they had been arguing, and anyone who can contend with Strider for a full argument has a strong will. He had his reasons for allowing her to come along instead of forcing her home.

For one, he knew the nature of the Nazgûl and that they would assiosiate Aynica with Cadance. He even told Frodo that he was not nearly frightened enough, meaning that he knew how truely ruthless and persistent the wriaths could be. Strider was a good person and he would not risk the life of a whole family just to aviod inconvenience.

Strider also gathered that Aynica was a very loyal person. Instead of abandoning Cadance when they were being pursued by Nazgûl, she stayed with her friend and was perpared to be caught along side her. Aynica knew that the wraiths were not looking for her because she had had no previous engagment with them and Cadance seemed to have a good understanding of what was happening. Any person who was willing to face the Nazgûl for a friend was certainly a loyal person. Strider's job was to get the hobbits and Cadance to Rivendelle safely, Aynica's loyalty was something he could trust.

Another reason Strider did not send Aynica away was that Cadance did not try to. We all know that he was a perseptive person and would be able to see that the girls knew each other. Cadance knew Aynica enough to not try to convince her to go home or question her loyalty. Because Cadance knew Aynica better than he, Strider would trust her judgement of whether her friend was able to come with them.

The last and third question: why was Aynica so persistant in coming when she was told to leave. If there is anything to see from her family, it is that they are strange and they do not listen well. From Aynica practically dragging Cadance to her parents' house to them saying Cadance wanted water and getting her some just after she declined a drink, it is clear that they are very stubborn. Their family is laid back and does many strange things. They ate dinner in th middle of the night and take their son's claims about talking cows with the utmost sincerity. Aynica clearly has her parents' stubborn nature.

Previously covered, Aynica was very loyal to Cadance and would not even dream of leaving her alone when she might be in danger.

Lastly, she enjoyed adventure. Aynica regularly traveled back and forth from Tellera to Bree. Her home was burned to the ground and she didn't even look upset about it. They were more concerned about why a party of orks was called a party of orks instead of the fact that they could have been killed. She was not bothered by danger and enjoyed her freedom of being able to live in two places and travel between them.

Now that I have stated all of my reasons, I will proceed to write the next chapter. If you are not even remotly curious about what is going to happe with Cadance then... I will be severly confused. Does this clarify the Aynica's choice to accompany Cadance, Strider, and the hobbits. Hopefully it did. Anyway, thank you for reading this, I will get back to the actual story in the next chapter.


	14. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn more about the events on Amon Sûl.

From the beginning of the fight, he was surprised to see that she had already mastered the basics of swordplay and learned many advanced moves. She used a combination of attacks and defenses combined from the many styles she learned witha flair of elvish technique and grace. She kept him on his toes, causing him to pay more attention to the fight than he had in a long time. Still, he was not to be outmatched. Slowly, he began to work Cadance into a corner, steadily pushing her back while being careful not to hurt her. He marveled at her skill, but eventully decided that he had seen enough. Moments later, Cadance's sword flew through the air after the wraiths preformed a paricularly advanced disarming counter-strike.

The sword clattered to the ground at the feet of the Witch King. Cadance tried to back up, but felt only cold, hard stone behind her.

She had been cornered.

For a few seconds, Cadance just stood there in shock, staring into the emptiness of the Witch King's hood. From where he stood, he was a mere arm's length away (Cadance's arm length, not his) from her. The mutual stillness was broken when the Cadance cleared her mind from the shock and realized how dangerous her situation was. She could not back up or go forward, her only chance at escape would be to the side, which would be even more difficult because she was in a corner. Thinking faster now, Cadance made a quick step to the right. The Witch King moved to block her, comming ever so closer when he did. This time, she moved quickly to the left, but the Witch King once again stood in her way, leaving even less room between them. The Nazgûl's form loomed over the small child as she completely backed into the corner. Cadance closed her eyes, not wanting to see what the wraith would do. She was practically shaking with fear, he was stronger, faster, and more skilled. Cadance was rarely out matched in swordplay so the fact that she had lost made her afraid of the power of the Witch King. Her hope of being rescued dwindled with her courage. Both the Witch King and Cadance remained silent, the only sounds being the clash of steel as Aynica fought her opponents.

"Princess..."

Cadance opened her eye to see the Nazgûl's gaze was fixated on her.

"Why did you fight me? Your rightful place is by my side."

"What?"

Cadance cursed the way her voice sounded so weak and meager, she barely spoke above a whisper.

"You must join me."

Cadance was taken aback by this statement. Surely he did not expect her to abandon her friends and take his side just like that. Almost instictively, she straightened her back and squared her shoulders, replying in a stronger tone than before.

"No, never."

The wraith's form became, if possible, increasingly more frightening. Cadance could feel an aura of anger and annoyance emanating from him.

"I will not ask you again. Join me."

Cadance lifted her chin in pride and boldly stared into the hood of the Nazgûl cloak.

"I will never join you."

"You have no choice."

"You lie, then. I will always have a choice to remain loyal to my friends."

At this, the Witch King scoffed.

"Lord Sauron told me that you were stubborn, but I had not expected this foolery."

The girl developed a plan. If she could engage the Witch King in an arguement, she may be able to catch him off guard and run. She just hoped she could sound confident enough to mask the mounting terror in her heart that made her stomach churn.

"It is only foolish to you because you cannot understand."

"Do you think the concept of true loyalty is beyond my grasp?"

"You abandoned your entire kingdom for power, how could you understand?!"

"Do not speak so boldly of what you do not know."

"How do you know I am ignorant? I know about you and what happened to Numenor."

"Enough of this! You are coming with us back to Mordor, either by your own free will or by our force."

"I'd rather not, what else have you got?"

"I'm done playing games with you."

The Nazgûl stepped forward, but Cadance had been coutning on it. She quickly side-stepped, ducked under his arm, and rolled past him, picking up the blade she had dropped as she rose. The wraith spun around and hissed in irratation, but moment later, Cadance heard a deep laugh coming from the emptiness of his hood.

"Princess, I've seen how well you fight. You deserve a better sword, not that flimsy, poorly made piece of metal."

Cadance had no time to be confused by his words. Almost instantly, the sword she held, her only hope, her only protection, shattered in her hand. Terrified, she looked down at the shards of metal that now littered the stone floor of Amon Sûl. She was allowed no time to escape, no time to recover from the shock of what just happened. Within seconds, Cadance found her hands pinned behind her back. Instinctively, she began to struggle, writhing in the wraith's grip to free herself. He smelled like decay and despair, two things Cadance didn't think it was possible to smell until then. A chill began to spread through her whole body, drowning out any remaining warmth. Now that the Witch King was out of her sight, due to the fact that he was holding her wrists together behind her back, she could see what had been going on. Frodo was sheltering behind Aynica, who was currently battling the other four Nazgûl. She was fending off their attacks as she backed up to aviod being overwhelmed. As if they could sense their leader's success, the wraiths sent one of their brethren over to the Witch King. to be instructed about what to do next.

"Take her to where the horses are and wait for us to join you."

The girl found herself being passed to a different Nazgûl. She used that oppertnity to try harder to escape and managed to free one hand, but it was promply apprehended. The Witch King turned towards Aynica and Frodo, but not before giving a final order to the Nazgûl restaining the girl.

"Bind her wrists."

Cadance watched helplessly as the Witch King walked towards her friends while her hands were tied in front of her (thankfully not behind). She pulled and strained at the black rope, trying to do anything to stop what was about to happen. Aynica's back was to the approaching wraith, and Cadance's cry of warning was stopped when her captor jerked the rope, yanking her towards him and away from her friends. She fought the Nazgûl as he began to drag her off weathertop. Her heart skipped a beat when the wraith lord raised his weapon, ready to stike the unsuspecting girl. But, instead of killing Aynica, he cracked the back of her head with the hilt of his sword, making her fall to the ground, unconscious. Cadance didn't see very much after that, for she was pulled far enough from the action that she could no longer observe what was going on. The last thing she saw was the Witch Kind advancing on Frodo, Morgûl blade in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is more coming. but I decided to publish this so you guys would have something to read in the meantime. I'd like to know what you think will happen. Also, I am taking story requests, so check out the designated book here on my A03 account to see more details about that if you are interested.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I have no words for this.

Cadance struggled with all her might as the Nazgûl continued to drag her down the slope of the ancient watchtower. The moon was obscured by clouds, causing an even deeper darkness to settle over the land as the girl's situation became increasingly bleak. The unevenness of the ground and random bits of rubble scattered around caused her to trip and stumble. As the adrenaline in her blood wore off, Cadance's resistance began to weaken. After what seemed like an eternity of descending from Amon Sûl, the hill abruptly leveled out, and, because she coudn't see well, Cadance tripped and landed face down on the ground. Her captore hissed with annoyance and backtracked the four feet of rope that was between where he held it and where it was tied to his captive's wrists. The girl felt herself being pulled to her feet, but no matter how hard she tried to back away, she did not have the strength to escape.

A few more miserable minutes later, Cadance could hear the snorting and stomping of the Nazguls' horses. The wraith finally stopped and turned to the girl, gesturing to one of the horse.

"Get on."

She made no move towards the horse, but instead continued to keep tension on the line. The Nazgûl began to draw in the rope like a fishing line. Cadance dug her heels into the ground to gain more traction, even as she was pulled into the iron grip of the wraith.

As the next few minutes passed, she fought the Nazgûl as he tried to force her to mount one of the horses. Very few times had anyone tried to pick up Cadance, but never against her wishes. Still, the wraith seemed unbothered by her feeble attempts to break loose, only appearing to be annoyed when she evaded getting on the horse at the last second. Both parties froze when a pained cry sounded from the watchtower. Cadance's mind spun and her heart skipped a beat. Seconds later, the shrieks of the other four Nazgûl cut through the air, mixing with the first. Even in the mists of the noise, she recognized Frodo's voice among the chaos of sounds. There were more shouts and the clash of steel could be heard, even from where Cadance stood.

Her captor seemed to have abandoned the idea of getting her on a horse, and instead, pulled the girl over to one of the many trees. He tied the end of the rope he held to a high branch, too far up for Cadance to reach. The lowest she could bring her arms was level with her chest. The wraith turned and ascended Weathertop, leaving her by herself in the woods. Cadance knew that an escape would be simple. If she could pull herself up with the rope or climb the tree, she could untie the knot that bound her. Unfortunately, she lacked the strength to do either of those things, only able to wait.

(If you want to see a picture, go to my profile on WattPad to see my fan art book. The username is still Ghostchild31)

Minutes passed, filled with more shouts, the clashing of steel, and the cries of the Nazgûl. Finally, all five of the wraiths came into view, darker than the shadows that limited her vision. As they approached, Cadance smelled the unmistakable scent of burned cloth. When they were closer, she noticed the one farthest from her was carrying something, although she couldn't identify what it was. The tree, to which Cadance was tied, stood a few yards from the place the Nazgûls' horses were waiting. Only when the thing that the wraith was carrying was thrown across the saddle did Cadance realize that it was not a thing, but a person (which is still technically a thing), and that person was Aynica.

A new wave of panic washed over the girl as she wondered what the Nazgûl might want from her friend. She was aware that they sought her because of her heritage, but the same did not go for Aynica. Three of the wraiths mounted their steeds, leaving the one who had originally brought Cadance down and the Witch King on the ground. Another nervous glance towards her unconscious friend relieved that the Nazgûl sitting behind her had put one arm around her, holding her upright against himself. However, Cadance's attention was drawn back to her own situation when she noticed that the other two wraiths had stopped in front of her.

Her former captor untied the rope from the tree branch as the Witch King watched her, mere feet away, silently daring her to attempt escape again. Once the other wraith finished, he handed the other end of the rope to his superior, turned back towards her brethren, and mounted his horse. The Witch King must have signaled them, for, moments later, they rode off into the darkness of the forest, leaving the last horse, the Nazgûl, and the princess alone.

Cadance watched as they last rider faded out of her sight, turning her gaze back to the wraith before her when she felt a shift movement in the rope that bound her hands. He had adjusted the length so there was only two feet of slack from where he held it to where it was tied to Cadance. After a few seconds, he began to walk forward, giving a light tug on the rope to remind his prisoner to follow. Cadance immediately distanced herself as far from the Witch King as she could, making the rope taut.

There were a solid ten yards between the horse and the place the two stood, a distance that seemed like miles to Cadance. She planted her feet firmly on the ground, keeping her elbows bent and hands directly in front of her.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Side note: this technique, keeping your elbows bend instead of straight, is commonly used in horseback riding. It is done to ensure that, if the horse suddenly throws its head and tugs harshly on the reins, the rider will not be pulled out of their seat because will be able to extend, giving them time to gain control over the situation.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

In this case, Cadance is anticipating that the Witch King will to suddenly pull her forward, so she is keeping her elbows bent so she will not immediately fall down.

But, instead of yanking, the Nazgûl turned and slowly but firmly drew in the rope, shortening the distance between them by about half of the original before taking a few more steps. Cadance disliked being this close to him and reacted by pulling back with all the strength she could muster. Again, the wraith stopped and shortened the rope again, now leaving a mere six inches on space between them before resuming walking. The girl started to pull against him again, but when he stopped like he had done to two previous times, she relented from her resistance and walked beside him. Seconds later, Cadance noticed that he had loosened his grip by a few inches, allowing her a bit more room to move. Sensing the Nazgûl's grip becoming slack, she braced her feet against a root and abruptly tugged the rope, trying to pull of out of his hands. Unfortunately, her effort seemed to do little more than annoy him, for he again stopped and reduced the distance between them.

Cadance huffed with annoyance when she realized what was happening, and she hated it. The Witch King was literally training her to walk next to him by showing her that trying to pull away resulted in less freedom of movement and staying beside him gave her more room to move. He knew she felt uncomfortable in his presence and he was using it against her. After an eternity of walking, her captor finally stopped next to his horse. Still frustrated that she had been trained like some animal, Cadance didn't think about what would happen when she let the wraith give her a boost onto the horse, she had completely forgotten that he would mount behind her.

When the Nazgûl got on behind her and put an arm around her, Cadance suddenly became aware of how close they were. This was too much. She began struggling again, desperately trying to get off the horse and away from the wraith. The Witch King seemed to sigh with annoyance and he easily tightened his hold on his prisoner until she gave up. Although he had relented his grip, the girl was still pressed against him, and the Nazgûl could feel Cadance's heavy breathing as she recovered from her futile efforts. Ready for another attempt at escape, the Witch King took and reins into his hands and steered his steed towards the meeting place he and his brethren had appointed. Although they had failed to retrieve the ring, one of the precious things his master wanted had been obtained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the long wait. I wanted to take my time to write this so it would be as good as I wanted it to be, but I guess it can't be very good if it doesn't exist. Thank you for your patience on this, for some reason I can't seem to stay away from cliffhangers. If there is another delay like this one, please do not hesitate to remind me to keep writing, as I will most likely be being lazy and avoiding this. Also, I do like creating fan art, so if you want me to illustrate any scenes, just ask. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, bye!


	16. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cadance ‘attends’ a meeting with the Nazgûl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh. My. Verbum.
> 
> I was so close to finishing the chapter last night, but this thing called morning came and intruded on my work, then I had to do school. But it is done now. If you are still reading, thank you for staying loyal. Whether you are here because you are interested in the story or you think it is weird and want to see the hot mess it could become, thank you for your dedication.

Cadance fought to keep her eyes open. Now that she was no longer standing, she felt weak and tired. After a long night of fighting and struggling, her lack of sleep over the past few days was beginning to creep over her, slowly replacing the adrenaline that had given her strength. Despite her best efforts, she could not gather enough energy to sit up independently, eventually resigning herself to resting against the Witch King because she had no other option. Even though the forest floor was covered in roots and rocks, the horse maintained a steady gait as it galloped through the quiet wood.

Cadance was on the verge of sleep when she felt her captor shift his position ever so slightly. The arm around her tightened its grip as they began to come to a stop. The Nazgûl dismounted and helped the girl get off the horse as well. Cadance couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard the murmur of voices just beyond a patch of thick underbrush, wispering in a tongue that she could understand but not speak. She gazed intently at the area where the voices were coming from, recognizing them to be the other eight Nazgûl. However, her attention was abruptly draw to the wraith beside her when she felt the rope binding her hands become untied. Knowing that this may be her last chance for escape, Cadance turned and tried to run, but was caught before she could take two steps. She was very tired, but still tried to free herself, straining against the Nazgûl with her remaining strength.

"If you try to escape, I can guarantee you that your situation will only become more difficult. Your futile resistance may have been entertaining before, but now we have business to attend to, therefore I warn you that I will not find your antics amusing. Behave yourself when I am speaking with my brethren and do not attempt to escape, listen to what I am telling you. Do not be a fool" the Witch King hissed, holding the girl's arms behind her back.

Cadance stopped struggling, out of breath and tired. "I would be a fool to not try to escape."

"But you would be a greater fool to provoke the ire of a Nazgûl."

"Would you truly become angry?"

"To a certain extent, but I hope you do not wish to see for yourself."

"By no means."

"Good, now..." The wraith spun Cadance around to face him, clamping his hands down on her shoulders to hold her still, "It is time for me to plan a course of action with the other eight. Give me your word that you will not run."

She watched him for a moment, he was waiting for a response, but she was unsure of how to react. Her instincts told her to run, but she feared that she would be unable to escape. Still, should she simply submit to him and obey what he told her to do?

Finally, Cadance nodded her head, "You have my word." The Witch King seemed to be satisfied with her answer, letting go of her shoulders and turning towards the direction of the other wraiths. Her mind screamed for her to run, but it would only make her situation worse, especially because she had told the Nazgûl she would not run during the meeting. If she tried to escape, would not trust her for a long time. Quietly, Cadance walked by his side and they emerged into the small clearing where the others waited.

The wraiths quieted at the arrival of their leader.

(Assume that the Nazgûl speak to each other exclusively in black speech. The Witch King's lines will be indented, so any that are not indented or specified to be Cadance's are being said by a random Nazgûl)

"Any sign of the halfling?" questioned the Witch King, coming into the group of his fellow wraiths.

"None yet, but it concerns us little. It is only a matter of time before he joins our ranks."

"Still, we should not risk the loss of the ring. Soon enough, we will pursue the hobbit until he is found."

"And what of her?"

Cadance noticed that one of the wraiths was watching her.

"How do we know she is not waiting for the right time to escape?"

"She gave her word that she would not run for now, any attempt would be futile and childish."

"Indeed."

"Are you sure this is her?"

"Yes, I have sensed it, our Lord has confirmed it, and now that I see her I know it to be true."

One of the wraiths stepped forward and roughly grasped Cadance's chin between his thumb and pointer finger, turning her head from side to side to inspect her face.

"Even though my memory has faded over time, she bears an uncanny resemblance to you."

Cadance grimaced and tried to jerk her head away, but she only earned an irritated hiss and a sharp cuff on the back of the head from the Witch King. The metal gauntlets that wraith wore scratched and cut the soft skin of her face as he continued his observation of her, none to gently.

"She looks almost exactly like you did, except her eyes are lighter and her hair is silver, not black."

(please keep in mind that I am drawing this vague description from what I image the Witch King might have looked like. I know the movie clip at the very beginning showed him having white hair, but you know what, there was only one elf at helm's deep, so just continue reading peacefully and quietly)

"Being your heir, she would have similar magical abilities to you, correct?"

"Yes."

"Are you not able to force her to use it, I am quite interested to see what she may be capable of."

"I am able to, but she has not yet exercised any of her power, it would be very draining for her."

"But would it not be prudent to gage how potent her power may be, even if she has not practiced?"

"True, our Lord would appreciate information like that. Very well."

Before Cadance could process what was happening, the Witch King had seized her wrist in a iron grip as the other Nazgûl let go of her. The girl instinctively tried to pull away, but her attempts had no effect on her situation. Her captor was preoccupied searching for something in a tangle of vines to chastise her for trying to break free. Finally, he turned back to her and placed an small seed in the palm of her hand. Closing her fingers around it, the Witch King covered Cadance's fist with his hand. Nothing seemed to happen for a few seconds, but then, the girl felt a strange tingle in her fingers. She started to become alarmed when the feeling spread up her arm and into her chest.

An odd feeling of power filled her mind, but it was soothing and gentle. She gasped as she felt movement in the palm of her hand, looking at it to see a vine growing out of her fist. It poked its way through the tangle of fingers, growing at a steady pace right before her eyes and curling around her arm. She started to feel a little faint and dizzy, but was distracted when the vine began to bud, and then bloom. Snow white flowers sprouted along and green coils as the vine continued to lengthen, now winding through her hair and creating a crown of flowers on her head.

Her thoughts were drawn back to the Witch King when his hand shifted slightly, and his grip tightened. She could feel a new power stirring, but this time it was stronger, and darker. All of a sudden, a sharp pain shot through Cadance, causing her to cry out. The vine changed to a dark green, almost indistinguishable from black. Thorns began to protrude out of it, and it tightened around her arm, lightly piercing her skin. The flowers turned jet black, now strongly contrasting with the girl's hair as she attempted to pull free from the Nazgûl.

After a few seconds, he let go of Cadance, but quickly caught her before she collapsed to the ground. Her vision became blurry and she felt the last of her strength leave her. She could not even lift her head of the wraith's shoulder.

"Our Lord will be pleased to hear about this, I am very impressed, but, it is time to get moving. Khamûl, would you please escort the princess back to Tellera. We will be chasing after the hobbit for days, she is in no condition to participate in a pursuit. We will retrieve the ring, the halfling, collect her, then head back to Minas Morgûl."

"What about the other girl?"

"Ah, yes. Take the Knight of Umbar (another of the Nazgûl) with you so he can carry the other girl. She has incredible combat skills and will make a great fighter in the upcoming war."

The Witch King handed Cadance over to Khamûl, who carefully held her against himself and bowed to his superior. Cadance couldn't move, she was too weak, barely able to flex her fingers. The wraiths silently mounted their steeds and rode off into the night. The sound of pounding hooves was the only thing she could distinguish. Only a few minutes later, Khamûl whispered some sort of spell into the girl's ear, and moments later, she succumbed to the sleep he had put over her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had originally typed the Witch King’s lines in bold, but AO3 doesn’t like bold, so I had to indent. Sorry for the inconvenience.


End file.
